Stones Of Nematon-Wolf In Sheeps Clothing
by golfinsheepsclothing
Summary: (im horrible at summaries) -picks up at end of season 3a- Maeby is a new kid at Beacon Hills who has unexplainable powers that she has drawn from being close to the nemeton. A tale of mystery, surprise a rise to power and love. Stiles/OC RATING MAY CHANGE LATER
1. Chapter 1

I used to hate the first day of school. When I was in middle school, I would do anything to miss the first day, kick, scream, fight, bite; hell once I even stuck a finger down my throat in the Parkway Middle School admissions office just to get out of the first day. That was back when the moving began, six years ago today. Now I could care less; first day, last day, and everyday in-between are all the same; shitty. I guess I stopped making friends after the 4th or 5th school. Whats the use? I wouldn't be there long, six months a year tops and Mom will get over it, or have a falling out with her new boy-toy or lose her job or one of the other 6 billion reasons and we will pick up and leave again to another ho-dunk boring town.

"I think this could be it sweetie."

"huh?" I just realized we had pulled up in front of my new school, Beacon Hills High. It looked drab and uninteresting like everything else in this town.

"I think we could end up staying in this town for a while. All the people seem nice, its little and quaint, and this school looks like a great place for you. Look at all the cute boys!" My mom looked like me only older, long brown hair and green eyes, she was short and always looked tired, partially because we moved so much and partially because she worked crazy shifts as a nurse in the hospital; after all they never gave the good hours to the new nurses, and we are new wherever we go. She was a free spirit, always moving, always friendly and bubbly it was annoying as all hell but I loved her for it.

I looked at her and tried for an 'excited' smile and said, "yeah mom, it'll be great"

She smiled back, "I love you, have a good day."

I stepped out of the Ford Explorer and onto the sidewalk just as the bell for first period rang. As if being the new kid isn't bad enough, I get to be the new kid who's late on the first day. Yay me. I began the walk up the steps to school and decided to explore the campus before class, I was going to be late no matter what- who's to say I didn't get lost on the way? The campus was big, three stories it seemed, and lots of windows, there weren't any kids wandering around out of class, and it was a full 10 minutes before I ran into anyone, that being said, I was so engrossed in looking around I forgot to look right in front of me and ended up LITERALLY running straight into them. Sending the papers he was holding cascading in all directions and me flopping onto my bottom with an embarrassing 'plop'.

"Shit." He said bending over to quickly grab all the papers I had made him drop. I moved onto my knees and grabbed the papers closest to me, they seemed full of frantic scribbles done in pen and one had a dark drawing of what looked like tentacles or veins or roots, I stopped picking papers up to study the drawing closer, it looked familiar somehow like I had seen this drawing before, matter of fact, I could've sworn I saw it before and just as I was getting the image in my head he snatched it from my hands.  
"Sorry, I- I wasn't p-paying attention to where I was g-going and…" I tend to stutter when I get nervous which is probably another reason why I try and avoid social situations. I finally got a good look at the guy, he was for lack of a better word: hot. Tall with a darkish complexion and a crooked jawline that somehow made him more attractive and his eyes…his eyes were glowing red. As soon as I looked into them I felt the need to flee as far and as fast as I could. I found myself speeding away in the opposite direction, my heart was beating out of my chest, and my mouth tasting of metal, I realized I had no idea where I was, my feet were no longer powered by my brain but instead some sort of primal instinct as I had never experienced before. I was covered in sweat and my breathing was out of pace, quick sharp and without oxygen. I finally managed to flick my brain on and slow myself down. Exhausted; I fell propelled myself back and sat down to catch my breath and gather my thoughts. I closed my eyes and saw the boys red ones burning into the inside of my head through the blackness. I quickly opened them again. It was nighttime, how much time had passed since I ran into the demon boy in the hallway?

My head was all over the place, nothing like this had ever happened to me before, but I felt different. Like some stirring force had warned me of something that I didn't know was inside me. It was scary and somewhat empowering. I looked around me, my eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, I was in the woods, alone. Jesus, how far had I run? Where in the hell am I? I was sitting on a stump, a big stump, bigger than any of the trees around me, matter of fact I could probably lay down on it with my arms and legs spread all the way out and none of my body would hang off the edge. There was something about this place, it was somehow familiar, I traced the intricate grooved lines on the inside of the stump with my finger and suddenly realized how hungry I was, and cold. I wasn't wearing a jacket and shivered as I stood up, how far was the road from here? I saw lights in the distance and muffled voices. They were looking for me. My mom wouldn't have realized I was gone until she got home from work probably around 2 this morning. This means I had lost at least 12 hours. I tried not to think about it as I walked towards the voices in the distance. My legs ached now, and I was so tired. I felt like I was going to pass out, but had only gone about ten feet from the oversized stump so I sat down and prepared to stay the night or at least get some sleep before finding the town again when I heard my name behind me.

"Maeby?" I stood up and spun around. There was a man wit clock shadow standing in the moonlight, he was wearing a black leather jacket a white shirt and jeans.

"Yeah." I replied breathily fighting the urge to blackout. I closed my eyes and rubbed them then opened them again. "that's me."

"Im Derek, you've got all of Beacon Hills out looking for you. Kind of funny since nobody here's ever met you. What are you doing here in the middle of the night? Seems strange, your first day here and you run straight into the heart of the woods…" his tone was ominous and even a little accusing. What's this guys problem? What does it matter to him if I ran away and hid in the woods? I mean I didn't mean to, but that doesn't change the fact that its none of this asshole's business.

"The woods are comforting. Anyways, I didn't mean to scare anyone, I just needed some fresh air. Besides what's it to you? Anyways Im going home now," This guy was getting on my nerves, but I as soon as I turned to leave I started feeling dizzy again and remembered I wasn't really in the condition to go storming off at the moment "…as soon as I sit down for a second." Derek kept his eyes on me as I walked back towards the irregularly large stump. And that's when I noticed a flash in his eye contact, his eyes seemed to glow blue when the moon hit them, I felt fear surge into my chest just as I sat down onto the stump, this time I pushed the fear down, I felt more powerful, here in the woods with this strangely familiar tree.

"You need to leave, your mother is worried about you." Derek's voice was authoritative and a little harsh, Who is he to talk to me like he's my father? What does he want anyways? He was slowly approaching me, when I looked at him, like really looked at him, his face seemed to change, his teeth were bigger and sharper then normal again, his eyes flashed from regular to glowing then back.

"S-stop, y-your scaring me." My feeling of power was draining as I felt fear well up in my stomach. What is happening to me? Some moments I felt like fighting and others I felt like fleeing. But why? And had I just been sitting here this whole time? If so why was I soo tired?

"Just get up and we can walk together to find your mom, " his voice seemed less cold, and more soothing, "I know the Sheriff well, he's out there looking for you too, he's a good guy. There's really nothing to be scared of I wont hurt you, Just step away from the tree and we can leave together. I know the way."

"What's wrong with your eyes?" I couldn't stop staring at them. They were glowing more now. The tree I was sitting on seemed to be getting warmer beneath me. For a second, I thought I could feel it pulsating, a soft thump thump coming from beneath me.

"Nothing, your tired and cold, you've been out here for a while, lets get you home…" He was almost touching me now, his arm extended my way, with every inch his hand got closer I felt pressure build up in my stomach, fear? Anger? Anxiety? His hand was almost touching me now, and below me the stump grew hotter and hotter, my skin scorching under the heat. Had he lit the stump a fire? Was I burning alive,? I couldn't tell if the heat was coming from beneath me or within me now, pressure and heat and Derek's hand reaching towards me, and I knew what I was supposed to do, pushed the heat and the pressure out, I don't know if I pushed it out with my body or my brain or maybe it wasn't me at all, but suddenly I was on the stump alone, the woods suddenly illuminated and then pitch black again.

There was a circle of ash around us and all the grass that grew in the ring before had burnt up. And there was Derek at my feet, small wimpers came from where he lay and he was shaking, shaking hard. I could see boils erupt on his skin and I heard a sharp sob come from him. I had done this, out of fear yes, but he had never threatened me or offered me harm, and somehow I had inflicted this on him.

"Derek?" my voice was a soft whisper. He groaned. Do I leave him here to die of horrible burns? No. I had done this. Maybe he deserved it. But Maybe he didn't. I had to get him help. Somehow. Suddenly I heard his phone ring.


	2. Chapter 2

I felt overwhelmed, I had come into a new town as an average teenager and within 24 hours I had ditched school, blacked out and set someone on fire. If I was going to go to jail or the loony bin or wherever I was at least going to try and make some things right. I felt around Derek's jacket for his phone, trying not to focus on his incredibly sculpted abdomen as I tried to ascertain where exactly the ringing was coming from. Focus Mae. I took a deep breath and pushed my hand into his pocket just as the phone stopped ringing. My hands shaking, I opened the dial screen just as someone was calling back, somehow answering the call unintentionally. The phone read: SCOTT MCCALL

"Shit." I said pressing end five times over. Tears were rolling down my cheek's and my hands were shaking incredibly, I tried my hardest not to focus on Derek's shallow breathing and painful moans, he sounded like an injured puppy (thinking this made me cry more) I slowly manage to dial 911 and almost pressed call when his phone buzzed in my hand again. SCOTT MCCALL. I decided to answer because if I didn't he would probably call until the phone died and I needed all the charge I could have if I was going to get Derek the help he needed.

"Derek! Hello? Did you find her? Where are you?!" his voice sounded frantic and worried.

"STOP CALLING. Derek is hurt. Im trying to call 911." I yelled into the receiver.  
"WAIT. STOP. DON'T CALL 911. PLEASE, WHERE ARE YOU?" the voice replied

"What do you mean don't call 911 are you crazy? He's probably gunna die," the last words came out in a frantic sob, I took another deep breath, "I need to get off the-"

He cut me off, "He wont die. Where are you?"

"I don't know, in the woods, by a tree a big dead stump thing…"

Silence.

I looked down at the phone, it was dead. As if this could get any worse. I bent down and checked his heart, it was beating. I didn't know what to do. This was the worst situation I have ever been in. I couldn't drag him, I could barely walk anywhere myself, I was tired and cold and couldn't stop crying.

"Derek, Im sorry, I didn't mean to. Im so sorry." I thought about his family, he looked to be in his early to mid 20's. He could have children at home. He obviously had friends who cared about him. But why had they said not to call 911? This was all too much, I started to feel light headed again.

Then, there was a rustle in the bushes behind me, I turned around and saw a boy with brown hair and pale skin. He was scrawny, not like the two guys Ive encountered in this town so far, but cute nonetheless.

"Maeby Lash?" he said looking from me to Derek to the huge stump behind us.

I nodded slowly and wiped my face again. "I FOUND HER, THEY'RE OVER HERE!" he called out behind him and walked towards me, "calm down, hes gunna be alright, are you hurt?" I shook my head, "my name is Stiles, what happened?"

I opened my mouth to speak but stopped when I saw a figure behind him.  
"Stiles is she-" it was the voice from the phone, he came into view and I recognized him as the boy from school.

"You!" I said before he could finish, "Don't come any closer!" I pointed at him accusingly, my breathing getting quicker as he stepped towards me. His eyes flashed from brown to red once more, glowing in the darkness. His teeth seemed to get sharper as I looked, then go back to normal again. I felt fear take hold of me for the third time today. This time though I wouldn't let my self explode or run or black out or whatever the hell has been happening to me "I-I don't know what any of you, people or THINGS are but just leave me alone. I – you…" I was weak and my balance and eyesight was shaking, "…please… just…get away…" and I blacked out.


	3. Chapter 3

When I woke up I was in my room at home. I got up and took a shower before I made my way downstairs to the kitchen where I could hear my mom bustling around.

"Hey Mom." I said and sat down at the kitchen bar.

"Hello Sleeping Beauty, you gave me quite a scare the last few days." She was making her lunch for work. I was surprised by her cool demeanor considering I had been missing or sleeping for the last…however many hours.

"I know, Im sorry, let me explain what-" but she cut me off,

"No need. Mae, this is my fault. I never should have moved you around so much. I should've realized sooner or later you would act out. I know its hard to get to know new people and to pick up and leave your life at the drop of a dime, I have my reasons for doing this, someday you will know. For now, I want you to try and work with me. I love you so much and I know this is hard for you. I'm sorry Mae." She was crying. And I had no idea what the hell she was talking about.

" I- um. Well, um. What?"

She wiped her tears on the sleeves of her scrubs and smiled then grabbed her keys and her purse. "Just promise me you'll never ever run away again?"

…?

I decided to go along with it, after all what was I supposed to do? Say, 'no mom. I didn't run away I've been hallucinating in the woods for the passed few days, then I lit someone on fire, you know, normal kid stuff.' Because THAT would TOTALLY go over well. Instead I went with, "Yeah Mom, I promise."

"Good. Now, I hate to say it but I gotta go to work, and you gotta go to school."

I went up stairs to grab my backpack and put some makeup on, just as finished my mom called me from the front door.

"MAEBY! Youre car pooling today! See you later! Love you!"

"WAIT! Mom!"

I grabbed my stuff and headed downstairs again, the scrawny boy from the forest was in the doorway, and my mom was gone. Damn.

"Sorry, I just thought we could talk before school."

I looked at the clock, we had about 30 minutes before school started.

"Look, Stiles right? I don't know what the hell has been going on. And honestly I just want to get through the rest of this year so I can get the hell out of these freaky boondocks. I appreciate you covering for me with whatever lie you told my mom, but I don't want anything to do with you or your weird possessed friends."  
He lowered his eyelids and crossed his arms, "You don't want anything to do with MY friends? YOURE the one who came here to this 'freaky boondock' and ran straight to the Nemeton then lit Derek on fire with some freaky spell or something! My friends are convinced that you're here to hurt us, I came here to talk to you, give you a chance to explain yourself before…" he trailed off.

"Im sorry about your friend, I didn't mean to hurt him, he was scaring me and…s-something… came over me, I couldn't control myself." I thought of the boy with the red eyes, and Derek's face changing in the moonlight. "…I just don't want any trouble." I finished finally.

He studied me for a moment. I felt vulnerable, like I was hiding something, Like I was caught for some crime and trying to cover my own tracks.

"I believe you." He said, uncrossing his arms and pulling his keys out of his pocket. I let out a sigh of relief, "but Im not sure I can say the same for everyone else. We've been expecting…trouble to say the least and what happened the night before last kind of shook us up."

So it had been two days after all. No wonder I felt so rested. I didn't like where this conversation was going. It was almost threatening, which Im sure is well provoked considering the circumstances. Still, Im new to this town, and its not like anyones been rolling out the welcome wagon. I've already made enemies, and not the mean girls kind either, the kind with sharp teeth and alternative motives. I could either take all this lying down, or try and take control while I still have all the cards in my hand. They think Im dangerous. Do I down play it or play it off? I chose the latter, I mean I did set someone on fire with my mind… (was it me? I would have to think more about that later)

"Im gunna be completely honest with you Stiles. I don't know what the fuck is going on here, but I don't like it, I told you what you wanted to hear, and I don't HAVE to answer to anything you say and I certainly don't have to answer to your weirdo friends. Now I would like to make to class ON TIME today, so you can either give me a ride or I can walk. "

He looked taken aback for a second then smiled, "I'll give you a ride, and I will tell my pa- I mean friends what you said, but I cant guarantee someone wont want to talk to you again, especially Derek." Then he turned and walked towards the Jeep parked outside my house and opened the passenger side door for me. "…you know, you almost remind me of my friend Lydia…"

My first class was ECON it was taught by the Lacrosse coach, a sort of eccentric guy who talked in this loud voice and who's eyes seemed to bug out of his head when he got excited. It was boring, I kept spacing out and trying not to think about my conversation with Stiles. I couldn't stop seeing his sly smile after I had told him off, like he almost enjoyed it. I wondered if he was a demon boy too, then shook the feeling off. I didn't get the same vibe from him. I was thinking about this when the girl next to me dropped a folded piece of paper on my desk without glancing in my direction.

I unfolded it slowly and saw in small cursive letters

Can we talk after class?

I looked over at her again, she was pretty with brown hair and she wore little makeup. I didn't know what she wanted to talk about, but I decided to go with the safest answer I could think of:

No. I scribbled, then plopped the note onto her desk.

The bell rang before I could see if she had opened it or not so I grabbed my bag and headed out the door as fast as I could.

"Maeby! Hey! Maeby!" it was probably the girl from Econ, but I ducked into a crowd before she could catch up then rushed down the hall and into my next class. WHEW that was close, But after being the new girl for 6 years I've perfected the art of avoiding social situations.

I sat down at a desk and plopped my head down. This was English class, my best subject and I was ready to finally have my mind off all these…happenings. People started coming in and someone sat down next to me and cleared their throat.

I looked up and recognized him as OFCOURSE the demon kid from the day before.

"Hey." He said smiling at me with his crooked jaw and looking at me with his glowing red eyes.

"Please move." I replied.

"I was hoping I could talk to you, Maeby right?" I could barely hear what he said over the sound of my inner voice screaming at me to get as far away from this boy as possible.

"No, Im not Maeby and I don't want to talk. I talked to your friend Stiles this morning, I don't want any trouble. I don't know what you are but I don't like it. Why don't you go bother someone else okay?"

"Okay." He said and moved across the room to sit next to Stiles who shrugged and nodded his head at me.

I resolved to talk to the next one of Stiles' stupid friends that wanted to talk, because I had a feeling if I didn't talk to someone other than him soon they would all come after me like some pack of rabid dogs. It wasn't until the end of the school day that someone approached me though, and it wasn't anyone from school. It was Derek. He didn't have any horrific burns, matter of fact he looked exactly the same as he did when he first approached me that night.

He pulled up to the front of the school in a black Camaro, rolled down the window and said, "Hop in." his eyes glowing blue. I opened the door and went in against my better judgment, he spun away from school. My heart started beating faster and faster and I was starting to feel like I did before, but I wasn't running this time. Mostly because I was in a moving vehicle.

"You don't have to be scared, I wont hurt you. But I should because you almost killed me the other night."

I cleared my throat, "You seem fine today." I said quietly then, "… and I-Im not s-scared." Damn my nervous stammer.

"Your heart is beating a million miles per hour and your stuttering, your scared. I just want to know what you are, where you came from and why you went to the Nemeton."

We passed my house and kept driving. I wasn't sure where he was going, but I wasn't in a position to ask.

"I am a girl, a HUMAN girl, my last school was in Las Vegas, and I don't know what "the Nemeton" thing has to do with me, isn't that like some sort of celtic fairy bush? Now can you tell me why your face was changing by the tree before?"

He pulled up in front of a contemporary looking apartment and we got out of the car. I noted that he didn't open the door for me, as Stiles had this morning.

"Face changing? I don't know what youre talking about. And yes, Nemeton was originally used to describe a sort of haven for the supernatural in Celtic mythology. But you cant tell me your human, Ive never seen an average human girl conjure fire out of thin air…"

We walked into the building and he pressed the Up button on the elevator. The bell dinged and we stepped inside. I suddenly thought he could be taking me to his house to murder me. Or maybe throw acid on my face. Or light me on fire as payback. But he didn't make a move to do anything, and I felt he deserved some answers.

"Im being honest when I say I don't know what happened that night-" I thought of the tree pulsating from beneath me, I thought of it drawing me towards it, the feel of its ridges under my fingertips, the energy that it gave to me, the Power…

"… it was a mistake. I mean, I was scared. You and this guy at my school, the guy that came that night. You guys give me this weird feeling, like there's something inside you, a demon or something, something that's not normal, not …human. Like now, your eyes, they're glowing blue, like really glowing." He looked at me then looked at the reflection of himself in the silver doors of the elevator. I could tell he knew what I was talking about. I could tell he wasn't normal.

We got out of the elevator on the 3rd floor and slid a big metal door open to reveal his apartment, big and spacey and contemporary.

"Here's the thing Maeby, They aren't glowing. What you see and what everyone else sees… they're two different things."

"But you admit, youre different then? Im not crazy? You guys are demon dudes I get it." I was getting excited now if other people could be different and special, maybe it was me that summoned fire like that and not the nemeton, which is scary as all hell, but also, imagine what I could do with that kind of power if I learned to control it…

"Im different, yes, and Scott is too, but not in the way that you think."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

**Thank you so much for reading! I hope you like it! Leave me a review and let me know how you feel! Will be posting another chapter later!**

After he told me I was quiet for a long time.

"So does everyone in this town know there's werewolves running around?" I finally asked.

We were still in his apartment, I was sitting on the couch and he was standing a few feet away .

"No. Theres a few people that do, and I know some suspect something. It hasn't exactly been the quietest couple of years but for the most part everyone's in the dark. You cant tell anyone." He said, looking at the street from the window, then he added almost as an afterthought "but we are going to be keeping a close eye on you from now on anyways."

It wasn't a question, and I wasn't exactly excited about it either. Derek was dark and brooding and it annoyed me. We sat in silence again for a while, I thought about asking more about the Nemeton, I couldn't stop thinking about it, but I figured he wasn't the best person to ask and now wasn't the time so I kept my mouth shut. Luckily my phone broke the silence. It was my mom.

"Hello" I said into the receiver

"Hey hun, just on break at work, did you have a good day at school?"

"Yeah Mom, it was alright."

"Did you make any friends?" she asked quickly.

I looked at Derek, still staring at the window in silence.

"…yeah...sure.."

She sighed into the phone, "That doesn't sound like you did. Well listen, I met a very nice coworker today who invited us over for dinner and I told her we would come. She has a son who goes to school with you, he looked very cute."

"Don't you have work until late tonight?" I asked hoping it was true.

"No! I went in earlier remember? I get off in an hour. Be ready to go Sweetie, Love you."

"Love you too, But I don't think I can go I have lots of homework-"

She had already hung up. Damn.

I cleared my throat, and Derek said, "I'll take you home."

"Were you listening to my whole conversation?" I asked quickly.

"Yes."

I decided wolves are annoying as all hell.

* * *

We pulled up to a house down the street a ways.

"You know Mom, I could just walk home and you could enjoy your evening with your friend." I said hopefully after shutting the passenger door.

"Oh don't be so shy Mae, she's a nice lady, single mom just like me, she said her sons friend recently moved in too, your gunna get along with everyone just fine I know it."

We headed towards the house and knocked on the door, it opened almost immediately.

"Maeby! Glad you guys could make it, We've never officially met, My name is Scott."

I guess I should've known it was him. He wasn't as scary as I had seen him before now that I knew he was a wolfboy or whatever. But his eyes still threw me off, red as rubies they made his smile look menacing instead of cheerful.

"You can call me Mae, this is my Mom, Tracy." My mom shook his hand and he showed us in. His mom was in the kitchen still fixing dinner, so my mom went in with her while Scott led me into the living room.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot. Im really a nice guy a normal teen like you…" he sounded like he was trying, I felt bad for him, afterall I had written him off quite a few times and hes only ever been nice. Still, it bothered me that I was here with my mom right after Derek had said "we" would be watching me.

"Cut the shit Scott." I said quickly, "I talked to Derek, I know what you are and I know you guys are watching me. Just be truthful, is bringing my Mom here some sort of threat, or out of goodwill?"

He shook his head fervently, "Goodwill. I know it sounds weird that we have to keep an eye on you but only until we figure out what happened the other night . Then I will leave you alone forever I swear. Until then, maybe we can be friends, there's no need for all this hostility."

"I don't know. Im not really good at friends. Especially ones that follow me around…Just give me my space."

Someone came in behind us and interjected,

"Mae, right?" I turned around, it was a tall guy with fair skin and curly blond brown hair. He was built and smiled to show a mouthful straight white teeth. It made my legs feel like jelly. His eyes glowed yellow, I wondered if all wolves have different colored eyes.

I tried hard to sound sexy or seducing, it came out as a stuttered, "y-yeah."

"Im Isaac, nice to meet you. Thought maybe you'd like to meet everyone who's gunna be following you around." Somehow the idea of Isaac following me around bothered me a lot less than the idea of Scott.

"Okay." I replied immediately regretting it. What kind of answer is that Mae? Okay? All cleverness goes out the window when hot boys come in. Or wolves. Whatever.

I suddenly realized my heart was beating faster than usual and wondered if they could hear the difference. This is frustrating I should've faked an illness or something. This dinner was going to be even worse than I anticipated.

Scott's mom called us for dinner a few minutes later, chicken and rice. It was delicious and I liked his Mom. She was funny and nice and my mom got along with her well. That was good, my mom didn't have any friends that I knew of, it was refreshing to see her laughing and talking to a woman her age with similar interests. When dinner was over we all sat in the living room while the Moms drank a glass of wine.

"I think Im going to head home Mom. I can walk though, I don't want to cut your night short." I said after a few minutes. My mom shook her head and swallowed a gulp of wine,

"No sweetie its alright I will take you."

"Oh that's okay Tracy, we can have one of the boys walk her." Scott's mom interjected looking at Scott and Isaac.

"No really, its alright let me walk, I will be fine." I said quickly grabbing my purse and heading towards the door. "I have my phone and my keys, I will be home in no time, see you later Mom, Love you." I shut the door behind me and starting quickly walking before anyone else could interrupt. I didn't really want to go home, I wanted to go to the Nemeton. Something about it wouldn't leave me. It was like it was calling me or drawing me to it. It was the centerpiece of my mind at dinner. Ever since my conversation with Derek I wanted to find out what it was about the Nemeton that had given me power. And with my mom distracted this was the perfect time to slip into the wood undetected. The only real problem was I had no idea where the thing was. But I was at least going to look, I had a feeling something would lead me to it. I could already tell the direction I was heading was right. It was like something inside me was telling me where to go.

But I was only about 4 blocks from Scotts house when I heard someone behind me.

"Thought your house was that way." It was Isaac, he was pointing back behind him.

"Oh, must've gotten turned around." Damn. The Nemeton would have to wait.

"Didn't think I was just gunna let you walk around by yourself did you? Theres a lot of weird stuff in this town you know. Dangerous at night." His eyes shone yellow when they looked at me.

"yeah." I said.

"We have a lot in common believe it or not." We were walking slow and close. I was shivering as we walked, it was cold, but maybe wolves don't get cold. "Im not good with people either."

"Is it that obvious?"

He smiled and gave me a look that said everything.

"Damn." I laughed and he laughed then took the scarf from around his neck and draped it across my shoulders as we walked. It was warm. "Thanks." I said.

"No problem. Can I ask you something?"

I wrapped the scarf tighter, I could smell him on it.

"Shoot."

"You weren't going home were you?" he put his hands in his pockets.

I thought about lying but decided against it. "No. I wasn't."

"That's what I thought, and I think I have a good idea of where you were going. I just want you to know, we are good people, Me, Scott, Scott's Mom, Allison, Stiles, Derek, Lydia, and all of them are like family to me, my real family is dead. These people are all I have. I know Derek and Scott told you we are watching, but I wanted to tell you IM watching. And if you hurt any of them, I WILL hurt you. Got it?"

I scowled at him and took the scarf off and put it in his hands. Im getting really tired of people threatening me. "Got it." I said coldly then sped up my pace to make sure we were no longer waking right next to eachother. He followed silently behind me until we got to my house. I walked up to the door and he watched me from the sidewalk. I turned around just before I went inside and he was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day I woke up and my mom had already left for work. I got ready to leave and headed out the door. Stiles' car was out front waiting for me, I guess I should've expected it, these guys are all relentless.

"Good morning, Need a ride?" he said as he hopped out the driver side to open the passenger door.

I sighed, "You know, It's a beautiful day," he looked up, it was gloomy outside, no sun in the sky, just clouds. "I think I will just walk. Thanks for the offer though."

He laughed and got in on the passenger side, grabbed his backpack, rolled up the windows and hopped out.

"Well I wouldn't exactly call it beautiful out but I see what you mean, I think I will join you for the walk."

I was hoping he wouldn't but I just shrugged and started walking. I pulled a cigarette out of my purse and lit it on the way. I had picked up smoking when the moving started along time ago when I still cared about being popular, I thought the cigarettes would make me look cooler. They didn't. They just made everything stink and my asthma considerably worse, but I still smoked, probably out of stress or agitation or because they tasted good.

"You smoke?" I asked finally. Stiles shook his head no.

"My dad would kill me. Besides I always thought they were kind of gross. Not that your gross or anything,…"

I laughed, "Yeah I get you. So did Scott or Derek tell you to trail me today?"

"Neither actually. I live nearby and thought I would give you a ride. You know some people don't have to have alternative motives to be friends. " I looked over at him. It was refreshing to talk to somebody like a normal teenager. I hadn't had a light conversation with anyone but my mom since I got here. And it helped he was cute. Not the kind of cute that makes you nervous but the kind that makes your eyes linger. "What?" he said finally. And I realized I had been staring.

"Nothing." I finished my cigarette and threw it in the street just as we turned the corner to school.

"You should stop being so tense all the time. It would probably help you quit smoking."

"Its hard not to be tense when you have a bunch of pubescent werewolves and all their friends watching your every move." He smiled at that, but didn't comment.

The first half of the school day went by quick and soon enough I was at lunch sitting on a bench by myself, trying to ignore the table across the room where Stiles and his friends sat smiling and glancing over at me every once in a while like I was some ticking time bomb ready to explode at any second. I got up and threw my lunch away then headed out of the lunch hall and outside into the quad. I wondered how easy it would be to duck off campus and try and get to the Nemeton again, there wasn't a gate around campus and I don't think Beacon Hills had a big ditching class issue. Not that it mattered, I was an expert at playing hookie, I used to skip class all the time to go to the library and read. I wasn't worried about the teachers catching me as I was about one of Stiles' friends, or Derek. But they hadn't followed me outside and I couldn't see them through the windows so I decided to just try my luck. It was easy, I walked off campus without any trouble and followed a road to the edge of the forest then slipped inside. It was darker under the treeline, and the woods seemed to go on forever. I walked passed an abandoned house that looked like it had been through a fire at some point, I thought about going inside but didn't. Before long I was in a small clearing in the woods and I saw it. The Nemeton was there. It looked even bigger than it did when I first saw it, and as soon as I stepped in the clearing I felt different. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears a steady THUMP THUMP that almost matched the pace of my walking. I was inching towards it close and steady. The air was warmer the closer I got and I could feel a familiar pressure in my chest. I closed my eyes and touched the Nemeton and felt a rush like I have never felt before flow through me. It was power. It was life.

I heard a rustle behind me and ran into a bush not far from the Nemeton. I crouched low and tried to even my breathing out. If it was one of the wolves, I knew I was screwed. My heart was still beating 100 miles per hour. But I felt like the Nemeton had just given me something and I was excited and fidgety.

The source of the rustle soon flew into view, it was a raven or a crow. It swooped down and landed down onto the Nemeton. Then it _changed._ It became a woman. She had long black hair the same color as the crow, and she was wearing a black dress, but her skin was pale, white, paper white. She looked to be in her 30s or 40s. She bent over the Nemeton and stoked her hand against the top, then she changed again, from a woman to a teenage girl, looked to be the same age as me. I gasped despite myself and she looked over in my direction then vanished altogether.

What the fuck was that?

I ran like hell. Without looking back. I ran and ran and ran until I felt like I was going to pass out then I finally stopped and sat down. I pushed my fingers into my eyes and then opened them again. Isaac was standing there.

"Holy shit!" I gasped, my heart pounding even faster.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked angrily.

"Well HELLO to you too." I said getting up and brushing the leaves off my legs. "You scared the shit out of me you know." I wasn't nervous around him now. I felt energized and refreshed after my encounter with the Nemeton. It was like the lights inside me where switched to off my whole life and finally someone had turned them on.

"Yeah well you deserved it. Im going to ask you one more time," he stepped closer to me so his face was just inches from mine. I could feel his breath against my face, and my god was he pretty. "what the hell are you doing out here?" he was angry, I could tell, but I wasn't scared.

"I don't think I have to answer that. You know where I was. And its none of your business anyways." I lowered my eyelids and he pushed me hard against the tree behind me, his arm resting across my chest.

"Don't think I wont hurt you." He whispered threateningly.

I felt the pressure in my chest build but this time I knew it was coming, I thought of the fire that burned Derek before.

I pushed him back, harder than I had imagined and stumbled backwards. I guess I was a lot stronger than I thought.

I stepped forward, asserting my authority now. "Im getting real tired of being threatened Isaac. Im not going to let you or your wolfpack bully me around. I might be capable of more than you think."

He regained his balance and his teeth started changing from normal to long and sharp, I looked at his hands as his nails grew long and sharp. He came bounding towards me but I stepped to the left too quick and he ran into the tree my back had just been against. I felt the pressure in my stomach and this time utilized it, if only there was something I could do to stop him without hurting him. He lunged towards me again and this time I wasn't quick enough and his sharp nails slashed my arm leaving four deep gashes that started to gush blood.

I thought of the Nemeton and remembered I had power too. I tried to focus on something that would help me and NOT start a huge circle of fire. But I was distracting myself and he had the upper hand, he was coming towards me again and this time I ducked low, tripping him. He toppled to the floor, and I finally had enough of a gap to pull the energy in my chest outward. This time it didn't come out in the form of a firely ball but instead some sort of black dust. My hands were full of it all of a sudden. What the fuck is this stuff?

But he was getting up now and it was all I had, I tossed it into the air towards him and he stopped. He tried to come at me again but was blocked by the ring of black stuff.

"Where did you get mountain ash?" he growled at me angrily.

"What the fuck is your problem attacking me like that? I didn't do anything wrong!" I yelled back. I ripped off the bottom of my skirt and tied it around my arm. It was bleeding heavily.

"I warned you about going to the Nemeton." He replied, his voice leveling out and his teeth getting smaller-more human.

"No, you warned me about hurting your friends. And I didn't. Did I?" I sat down in my circle of ash and tried to apply pressure to the wound. I could already see the four scrapes through the cloth. That's a bad sign.

"Not yet. This was your warning" He said and got up then started walking away.

"Hey!" I shouted at his back. He ignored me. "HEY! Not everyone can heal you know! Your just going to leave me out here to bleed out then?" he didn't look back.

What an asshole.

After a little while I got up and walked home. No point in going back to school so I can have the bratpack staring at me all day. I kept pressure on the wound on the way out of the woods and came close to passing out a few times. I finally made it onto the street when I saw Stiles' Jeep coming around the corner. It stopped next to me. I ignored him and kept heading home, he copied my pace in the Jeep.

"Let me give you a ride." He said after a long silence.

"Leave me alone."

"Mae, you're bleeding a lot and you should probably see a doctor."

He was right but I was mad and stubborn.

"How do you expect me to explain what happened huh? Oh yeah doc, I know these look like horrible scrapes made by some sort of bear but really I just fell down some stairs."

He almost smiled at that but instead said, "So what were you planning on doing? Going home and hoping it just stops bleeding? Because that plan TOTALLY sounds better. Get in. I know someone who can help."

I got in the car not because he told me to but because I was close to blacking out and I'd had my fill of that since arriving to Beacon Hills.

Stiles picked up his phone and made a call, it came in through the speakers of his car.

They answered on the first ring.

"Scott, I picked up Maeby and Im heading over to your work now, it's a pretty nasty scrape."

"She's okay though right?" he sounded worried. He doesn't even know me.

"Im fine." I said loudly and Stiles hung up.

"I hope you know none of us knew Isaac was going to attack you like that."

"You know Stiles, Im really starting to hate you guys." He grimaced.

There was silence for a while before I decided to tell him about what had happened before Isaac came when I was hiding by the Nemeton.

After I had caught him up he said, "So she just disappeared?"

"Yeah, I mean I know wolf people are normal in Beacon Hills, but are crow ladies normal around here?"

"No. Im not sure what you saw, but maybe we can get some answers from who we are going to see."


	6. Chapter 6

I was sitting on the examining table pulling my makeshift bandage off my arm. It looked horrible, four deep scratches that would most definitely scar, and they pulsated angrily, sometimes hurting worse than other times; making my cheeks hot and my eyes water. We were in a veterinary clinic waiting for the veterinarian, a middle aged black man with a bald head, to finish mixing some herbs he said would speed the healing process on my arm.

"You can never be too careful with werewolf scratches, they become infected easily." He had said when he had taken a look at my arm. I was mad, probably more aggravated by the wound, but mad that this had happened. I was starting to like these people less and less and now I would have a giant scary scar on my arm for the rest of my life.

"You need to back off." I said finally, looking at Scott who was eyeing the scratches on my arm I had just let out to breath.

"I didn't think this would happen, I didn't want anyone fighting. All I told him to do was to keep an eye on you, follow you and see where you went. " He looked genuinely apologetic. It made me angry.

"You told him to come after me? You guys are all assholes. Ive asked you repeatedly to leave me the fuck alone. And look what happened when you didn't. This is ridiculous; you think you're a leader Scott McCall? I wouldn't follow you if you were leading me out of the depths of hell. I cant heal Scott, I have to walk around with this., as if being a teenage loner isn't bad enough. I think this is payback enough for what happened with Derek. Now stop following me and watching me and inviting my mom over for dinner. Just fuck off." I was on a roll, I was stressed mad, in pain and I wanted to get as far away from here as possible. The veterinarian came over and started rubbing a solution over my arm then wrapping it in real bandages. The salve was cooling and took away a good amount of the pain. I thanked him then got up and walked out of the clinic.

You know when your so mad you just start to cry? I couldn't help it. I'd been so stressed and pushed this way and that that I just burst. I picked up my pace and started walking as fast as I could. UGH I hated Beacon Hills, I hated Isaac Lahey, I hated Scott McCall. I just wantED to leave this stupid town already.

"Lemme give you a ride." Stiles had pulled up next to me.

"Just leave please." I said turning my face away so he couldn't see me.

"Mae come on. Hop in."

"I said no Stiles."

"Please?"

This kid is relentless.

"Fine. But I just want to go home."

I got in and wiped my face off with my hand and tried to stop crying. Its always harder to stop crying when theres someone watching you cry. I was sniffling and looking out the window trying to avoid his eyes and wiping mine when a tear seemed to trickle out.

"Im really sorry Mae." He said finally.

"Its not your fault you didn't do anything. Im just so mad. I couldn't even talk about anything with the vet cause I just want to rip Isaac AND Scott's heads off. But they probably wouldn't even die. I fucking hate wolves."

"Believe me, You've only met the best ones."

We got to my house pretty quick and he walked me to the door and handed me a piece of paper with his number on it.

"If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call. Or Text."

"Thanks. I will." I said turning to open the door to my house.

"Wait, Mae," he grabbed my good arm and I spun around, "we're friends right?" he always looked me right in the eyes when we talked. It drives me crazy. I was emotional and tired and hurt and I wanted to kiss him so bad. I wanted to tell him to come inside and fuck me on my kitchen table, or watch a movie and let me fall asleep in his lap, or just kiss him on the porch for hours. But I am weak and I cant talk to people so all I said was, "yeah" then went inside and shut the door.

I woke up the next morning with a fever and my arm hurting like all hell. My mom was already gone so I decided to just stay home from school today. I went downstairs to grab an icepack from the freezer to press against my arm, which had become unnaturally hot, like if you pressed your hand against the bandage you could feel the heat of it. It burned and it was my right arm so I couldn't take off the bandage and re wrap it. Someone knocked on the door. I pressed the icepack on the bandage, sighed of relief and opened the door, it was Stiles.

"Need a ride?…Oh, your not dressed…And you look like shit. Does your arm feel any better?" I shook my head.

"Im staying home today."

"Well do you need anything…Maybe I could run to the store for you and get something?"

"You could help me with this bandage." I said referencing my arm.

"Alright, yeah." I invited him in and we went in my room where I gave him the first aid kit and sat on my bed. He pulled off the first layer of gauze and raised his eyebrows.

"Its…hot. Like burning hot."

"I know, its weird and it burns on the inside too."

He kept pulling off the gauze and finally got to the wound which actually looked a lot better than it did yesterday. I grabbed the neosporin and rubbed it on the scratches then he started to re-wrap the arm.

"If it keeps healing at this rate it will be all better in no time." He said smiling.

"Thanks for the help."

"Anytime Mae, you should get some rest. I could come by after school if you want." He was nice. Really nice. Too nice. It freaked me out, but I still liked him for it. He seemed genuine and innocent.

"I don't know, Im really tired, I think I might just give you a call later yeah?" He smiled and nodded and I led him out.

Truthfully I was going to try my luck again at the Nemeton, If the Nemeton had enough power to turn that crow lady into a girl then it had enough power to heal this thing away, hopefully enough that it wont scar. I changed my clothes and popped outside with a cigarette then headed towards the woods carefully looking around behind me to make sure a stray wolf wasn't trailing. I walked into the forest and walked passed the abandoned building, but there was someone outside. I stopped in front and observed the man who curtly nodded at me and walked over slow, enjoying the view around him. He was middle aged with a scruffy face and glowing eyes- he was a wolf.

"Ah, Mae. I was hoping you would turn up soon." He said stopping in front of me and smiling.

"Hi. If your one of Scotts-"

"Im not part of Scott's little brat pack if that's what youre asking. Actually quite the contrary, you've met my nephew Derek. My name is Peter. Walk with me."

He started walking towards the Nemeton, I walked next to him. "I heard about your little incident yesterday. Its sad what happens when an Alpha cant control his pack. Personally I don't blame you for being mad, the Nemeton's powers are limited, you don't have the same ability as those of us that are born or bred shapeshifters. Its part of our DNA." he said all of this matter-of-factly.

"So wait, you know about my power from the Nemeton?" I asked.

He laughed, "You really have no idea do you?"

I shook my head. We arrived at the Nemeton and he took a seat on its wide base and patted a spot next to him. I sat down.

"A Nemeton is a word out of Celtic folklore to explain apart of the forest set to protect supernatural or otherworldly spirits. The bad, as well as the good. Until recently our little Nemeton was inactive. Then something happened to spark it back to life. Not long after that, you and your mother show up. You feel a connection to the Nemeton. It gives you power, and it protects you too. You asked it for protection from Derek and it gave you fire, you asked it for protection from Isaac and it gave you Mountain Ash, you came here today to ask it to heal you. And it will."

I was starting to follow what he was saying, "So, Im not human?"

He smiled, "No Mae. But the best of us aren't, believe me."

This was too much. Too crazy

"W-What am I?" I asked

"I have no idea. But I will tell you what, your something. And I think we can help each other out. We have a common enemy. You can help me bring down Scott McCall, he will stop pestering you and I can help you sort out your whole…inhuman situation. I can teach you how to save power from the Nemeton. This way you wont feel the need to come back here everyday. " I hadn't even realized that I felt the NEED to come here. That I was starting to feel ill or tired if I didn't. I suddenly realized how much better I felt since we had been here. He made a lot of sence.

"What do you mean bring down Scott?"

"I don't mean to kill him, I just want to be Alpha again. You know he was a Beta once in My pack."

I thought about it. I mean this guy kinda creeped me out. He didn't seem like good news, but at the same time he was right about everything, and I didn't exactly think Scott was the BEST leader. Maybe this guy was better? This crossed my mind for a moment but the real reason why I agreed was to learn more about myself. I wanted to be Powerful. I wanted to know what or who I was. I had always moved around, I had always been different, an outcast, I never fit in anywhere. The Nemeton gave me hope, and Peter made me feel like I belonged to Something.


	7. Chapter 7

When I got home I felt much better. I sat down on the couch in the living room and removed my bandages. My arm looked incredibly better, the large deep scratches were now small and barely visible. You could barely even call it scar tissue.

As for the rest of my conversation with Peter, he told me to befriend Scott, earn his trust and after I did this he would teach me more about my powers. Then we could as he put it "go from there." I was more than willing to do this. After all, if he was bluffing about being about being able to teach me, I could always stop being friends with Scott. I didn't trust Peter, but I didn't really see a downside to his plan so far. So when I knew school was out I gave Stiles a call, he answered on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Its Mae."

"Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked quickly.

"Good, better, much better. I was going to see if you maybe wanted to hang out or…"

"Yeah, Yes, But Fuck I forgot I already told Scott I would go over the English homework with him." He sounded disappointed.

"Well, I missed class today, it might be good if I go through it too, why don't you ask him if he wants to come over here and we can all work together?" I realized how utterly hypocritical this sounded, but brushed it off, I needed to do this.

"Yes, Yes, That sounds great."

"You didn't even ask."

"I don't need to you know best friends and stuff…"

I doubted this after everything I had said to Scott yesterday but whatever.

"Right. Well see you soon then."

I went upstairs and got myself looking presentable then phoned my mom to let her know what was going on.

"Hey Mom just calling to let you know Im going to have some friends over to study."

She sounded surprised, "Friends? Oh that's wonderful Sweetie, I will grab a Pizza on my way home!"

"Yeah okay. Love you."

Stiles and Scott got to my house about an hour after I had called them, the pretty brunette they're always sitting with in tow behind them. I opened the door and tried to put on a welcoming smile, "Hi, Im Mae. Nice to meet you."

"Allison. We have Econ together, I didn't see you in class and Stiles said he was coming over so I thought I'd fill you in on what you missed." She said, extending her hand. I shook it, "Thanks. That's really thoughtful of you." I said and led them into the living room.

"Wow your arm looks way better." Scott said when I sat down on the couch.

"Oh yeah, Stiles came over and bandaged it this morning." Allison and Scott shot Stiles a sideways glance but he was fixated on my arm.

"Yeah, it looks even better than this morning. Its like ALL THE WAY healed now isn't it?" he had a strange look on his face.

"The Miracle of Neosporin." I lied, then went on, "Scott, I want to apologise about last night. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

He looked surprised, "No, you were right, I should have more control over my pack. But thanks for the apology."

I smiled, "So English."

"Oh yeah, there's another new girl in our class now. " Stiles said, finally getting his eyes off my healed arm, "and I think it's the girl you told me about at the Nemeton." He was talking quickly now.

"You're still going on about that Stiles?" Scott interjected, "You cant be suspicious of every newcomer, there's bound to be some normal ones."

"No, but this girl looked exactly how Mae described, you remember."

Scott looked skeptical, "She had black hair and she did look a little pale but still…"

"And how many new people want to move to Beacon Hills anyways? No Im sure it was here, and get this Mae-" He scooted closer to me and pulled a piece of crinkled paper out of his binder, it was a drawing of a black bird done in ball point pen ink. It was scribbled but detailed.

"Did you take that from her desk?" Allison asked snatching it from his hands.

"Nooo, I took it from the trashcan after she threw it away. As evidence."

"Evidence of what?" Allison went on, "that she has black hair and drew a crow?"

"TWO DAYS after Mae sees a crow turn into a women turn into a teenager! Come on, its not THAT farfetched. AND top it all off, her name is Morrigan! Im betting it's the same girl."

Scott looked confused, "Wait, what does her name have to do with this?"

Allison was still looking at the picture, "Morrigan is a shapeshifting spirit from celtic mythology. She was the to be the spirit of battle, strife, and terror. She was said to appear in the shape of a crow." She looked more convinced now but said, "We shouldn't make any assumptions yet. Mae, do you think if you saw her again you could tell if it's the same girl as before?"

"Yeah, I mean I got a pretty good look at her in the woods."

Scott sighed, "Strife and Terror? Why cant it ever be something good like the spirit of Candy and Love?" Allison rolled her eyes at that

"Its settled then, we'll see tomorrow. You are going to school tomorrow right?" Stiles asked.

"Yeah totally."

He smiled at me. Then Allison turned to me again, "I've been talking to Isaac,"

Scott cleared his throat and she glanced over at him but continued talking to me.

"…about the other day and I think maybe me and you and him could talk at school? He wants to apologize. Not that you have to forgive him or anything…"

"I'll hear him out." I replied.

All three of them looked surprised, but I mean, they've only known me for what? A week or two. We pulled out our homework and worked on it for a bit before my mom came home, excited beyond belief that there were people besides me in her house.

"I brought Pizza and Soda and three redbox movies for you guys! She said when she came in, taking a seat next to Allison, across from me.

"Three redbox movies Mom? Is that really necessary?"

"Well I didn't know what kind of movies your friends liked!" She lingered on the words 'your friends' like she might never say them again, then squeezed Scott's arm, "Nice to see you again, I saw your mom today, She's such a nice lady. And Stiles, thank you so much for taking Mae to school its really so much help"

"Anytime Tracy," he looked at me, "its my pleasure."

When we had finished the pizza, Allison said she had to go home and Scott volunteered to walk her. Which left just me and Stiles. My mom said she had a date, and left the house around 10, (odd time for a date, but I didn't complain).

"So did you want to watch a movie?" I asked after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Nah, lets go for a walk." He said quickly.

"Alright." I replied and we headed out the door. It was dark but the moonlight lit up the sky bright. We walked in a comfortable silence for a while before turning into the woods again.

"So you're arm is healed." He said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, we talked about that, Magic of Neosprin and all."

He laughed, "I didn't want to point out the bullshit in front of Scott and Allison, but since we're alone now, I gotta call bullshit. You couldn't have healed that fast without some help."

I didn't give him enough credit for that really. He barely knew me and he had already covered for me twice. I deserved to let him in on SOME things.

"I will show you." I said, more certain after my conversation with Peter about my level of control.

I took a turn deeper into the woods and grabbed his hand.

"As long as your not dragging me out here to murder me you can show me anything you want." It was my turn to laugh as we bounded passed the abandoned house and into the clearing that hosted the Nematon.

He slowed his pace for a moment and dropped my hand. I was still smiling but he had stopped.

"Whats wrong?" I asked pacing backwards towards the Nemeton. Already feeling the familiar beat of its energy in my ears. I was warmer, by the tree and happier. Safe feeling.

"Nothing. Im not fond of this place. I have history here, and its not good."

I was smiling still despite myself, "Cmon don't be such a Debbie downer, don't you want to see what I was going to show you?"

He smiled back at me and seemed to let his bad feeling go for a bit then came closer to where I sat on the Nemeton. I motioned for him to sit next to me and he did.

"So after you left this morning I felt bad still and something told me to come here…" I decided to skip my encounter with Peter for obvious reasons, "…and I just sat down." I reached into my small purse and pulled out a swiss army knife my mom had given me a couple years back and pushed it against my forearm., it cut through my skin instantly.

Stiles winced and pulled it away from me, "Hey!" he said quickly.

I shushed him and he looked back at my arm. The cut was gone. Completely.

He stayed quiet for a while and put the knife back down onto the Nemeton.

"Its weird, I thought you looked different over here, now I can really see it." He said finally, studying my face.

"What do you mean different?"

"I mean different, your skin looks nice, your eyes look brighter, your cheeks are rosy, you even seem happier here. You just look different. Not in a bad way"

"Thanks I guess." I wasn't sure if he was complimenting me or not.

"I mean you're always beautiful. I thought you were beautiful from the moment I saw you."

I blushed and he leaned in and pushed his lips against mine, forceful but his lips were soft, it was a quick peck, a tease, then he pulled away.

"Sorry I couldn't resist," he said quickly after. I put my hand on the back of his neck and pulled him towards me, this time me pushing my mouth against his. I opened my mouth slightly and he touched his tongue against mine. He tasted sweet. I suddenly thought about how I must taste like an ashtray and pulled away a bit, breaking our embrace. He just moved his mouth from mine to my neck, making me gasp and sending chills through my body. We were reclining together, him pushing himself on me, so my back was flat against the stump of the Nemeton. He was kissing my chest now to where my shirt covered then he came back up my collar bone and to my neck, my back arched and I could feel him hard against my leg. I wanted him worse than I had ever wanted anyone. And his mouth fell into mine again. His hands were on me now, sliding up the bottom of my shirt, I was shaking under him. And then I heard footsteps, to the left, passed the clearing. I pushed him off.

"Did I do-" he stammered, I pushed my fingers to my lips grabbed his hand again pointing to the noise with my other hand. We creeped to the bush where I had been before and ducked down into it. The footsteps came closer and I saw a figure of a woman with a long hooded cloak come into view. She looked to her left and her right and even above her before approaching the Nemeton and putting a hand on it. She let out a sigh of relief as she drew energy from the tree, and this time I could feel her take it, like a tug that came from inside of me. She whispered as she pulled from it in a singsong voice that I had heard in my dreams 1000 times.


	8. Chapter 8

"Hollow footsteps, cloaked by night

Of sadness known through tortured sight;

The willow weeps for solitude

As Owl moans a gloomy interlude-

Reflections in the glossy lake

"If I should die before I wake…"

a tear shatters the silent face

that seeks solace in this deserted place.

A raven gently sips the water near his honored guest,

But soon flies to his hidden nest.

Weary beneath the flowing cloak,

The traveller rests against an oak

And fights the lure of heavenly sleep -

"I pray the Lord my soul to keep…"

Forever lost, each journey taken

Plagues the mind; the nights awaken

Troubled visions, thoughts of yesterdays,

That seem like beacons – lives away.

Random comforts cannot ease this soul,

For knowledge takes its weary toll

'Pon one who suffers with each breath,

Who slept once in peace, then awoke in death…"

The figure finished they're prayer and receded into the wood behind them. Stiles and I sat in silence for a while before getting up and walking away from the Nemeton and towards the edge of the forest.

"Was that the same girl you saw before?" he asked as we trudged along a makeshift path towards the street.

"No. I don't think so. This time was different, I think she was praying or actually talking to the Nemeton," I thought back to when she pulled from the tree and I felt it in my stomach.

"Damn. This could be a bad sign." Stiles said as we reached the street and started walking towards my house. I didn't answer. It bothered me how negatively he thought of the Nemeton. Maybe he had some bad memories surrounding it but sometimes good can come from the bad. I decided not to comment, no use spoiling a good night. Instead I put my hand in his, he looked over at me and smiled before bringing me closer and draping his arm over my shoulders, I snaked my arm around his waist and we walked like that all the way to my house.

He walked me to my door and kissed me again on the doorstep, short and sweet and without tongue like the first kiss we shared, I felt teased and he left me yearning for more as he walked to his car.

"See you in the morning?" he called before opening his car door.

"Yeah." I called back then went inside.

I shut the door behind me and jumped as I turned around to see Peter standing in my living room.

"That went well, didn't it?" he asked with a twisted smile.

"Yes, I think so." I replied trying to make this conversation speedy.

"Well, I did say befriend Scott, but I see your plan now, get cozy with the best friend first. Good idea, he likes you a lot by the look of it…"

Was he mocking me? Or trying to make my job harder than it already is?

"How did you get in here anyways?" I asked lowering my eyes and looking behind him for an open door or window.

"Wolves don't use door sweetheart. Anyways I saw you go good on your end of the deal, so I thought I could start going on my part, unless you DON'T want to learn...?"

"Im ready." I said quickly.

"Good. Now you were at the Nemeton earlier I take it?" he asked, we both knew he knew the answer to that so I just nodded.

"The power the Nemeton gives you is reciprocal, the more you draw from it the more it rejuvenates, think of it as a sort of glass that's half empty but every time you take a sip it fills up more instead of less. Not only that but it gets easier with time to take from. Now, you will have to go directly to the tree to draw from it, but soon you will be able to draw from it no matter where you are. You need to think of the Nemeton as what it is; a living creature, you have to develop a relationship with it. You just left the Nemeton not long ago; you should still have a fresh connection. Reach out to it, see if you can feel it inside you."

"What do you mean feel it inside you?" he sounded like a fucking monk.

"Close your eyes and relax and think, to make it easy, think about all your favorite memories, look for one that doesn't fit, one that might not be yours."

I closed my eyes and thought of the times before my mom and I started moving. I thought of my fifth birthday on the beach with just my mom and my dad and I, we laughed and played in the water and watched the sunset on the horizon. I thought of my first kiss with a boy from down the street, I thought of how his lips tasted like the popsicle we had shared moments before. I thought of how happy I was on the first day of middle school, I woke up hours early and changed five times, and that's when I caught the memory that wasn't mine.

I was alone for a long time. Standing silent and vigilant. Waiting. The sun came and went. The moon came and went. And one day a boy and a girl came and sat with me. The girl laid at my feet, and I felt her heartbeat slow and steady and waning. I shared her pain, felt her suffer in my limbs, and I urged her to let go. The boy heard her too, and he gave her his innocence in the gift of mercy. The boy and I wept for the girl, and I spun her lifesblood with my own.

I opened my eyes, and cried. "It worked." I said smiling and crying, "The Nemeton spoke to me, it told me a story-or showed me one. It was beautiful. It was a story of a boy and a girl, they came to the Nemeton and she was dying and she asked him to give her mercy and he killed her."

Peter smiled, "Sounds familiar. Tomarrow, go to the Nemeton and speak to it in its presence. Tell it a story of your own. I have something I need done and will be gone for the next two days. In the meantime, try and be nice to your new friends." He left out of the front door, and I headed upstairs to go to bed.

The next morning I was so engrossed in thinking about the story the Nemeton gave me that I forgot about what happened with Stiles and I the night before. He got to my house a little earlier than the usual 30 minutes before school and knocked on the door.

I opened it and smiled big, "Hey I almost forgot you were coming."

"Yeah sorry Im early, I just had to get out of the house, my dads been driving me crazy."

"No that's fine, come on in." We went into the living room and sat on the couch. It was awkward, I didn't know what to do or say. He looked tired, his hair was a little disheveled, he was wearing a white shirt and jeans that seemed to be put on in a rush, it made him look hotter in a strange way.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Yeah," he stopped like he was going to continue, but didn't.

"Well that's good." This conversation was going nowhere. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I got up and sat on his lap, facing him. He smiled as I grabbed his face and put my lips on his, not like last night, this time slow and steady. He opened his mouth to mine and I put my tongue across his, this time not worried about how I tasted. He pulled my body close to his so I could feel his heart beat against my chest, it was fast and comforting. He slid his hands up the back of my shirt and unbuttoned my bra while we kissed. He was kissing me harder now, he spun me around so my back was to the couch and cupped his hand against my breast. I gasped as I felt him hard again against me. I got my hands out from under him and slid them down to where his pants button was. He was big and throbbing through his jeans. He moved his mouth away from mine and kissed my neck as he did on the Nemeton. I gasped again and he bit me softly. Now his hands were moving again, he moved up my leg and into my skirt. He made me crazy. I wanted him more and more and just as he was close to touching me he slid his hand down my leg again and stopped biting me. He kissed my neck once and pulled back so he was above me now, looking in my eyes and smiling mischievously.

"You're teasing me." I said breathily.

"I want you so bad." He said kissing my lips again.

"Then do it already." I was almost begging for it.

"We are already late." He got up from on top of me, "C'mon lets go."

School ruins everything. I almost forgot that's the whole reason why he came over.

We left the house and climbed into the Jeep.

"So are you excited for your little chat with Isaac and Allison today?" he asked after turning the car on.

"Totally." I said unenthusiastically.

He laughed, "He really is a good guy. He's not the most social person but you cant expect much from someone who spent two thirds of their life locked in a freezer."

"He was locked in a freezer?"

"Yeah, he talks about it enough, Im starting to think he's kind of proud of it actually."

"Well, I think hes kind of a douche but that's my humble opinion." I opened the visor in the front seat and checked my makeup in the mirror. There was a big red mark on my neck from Stiles this morning, I pulled out my compact and tried covering it with makeup. It just eneded up looking worse so I gave up.

"Sorry." Stiles said, smiling and looking at the hickey. We pulled up to school and I hopped out. Stiles gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and we split ways to go to class.

When lunch came around I wanted to sit with Stiles and Scott but stayed in my usual spot on the bench by myself. Isaac approached me almost as soon as I sat down, "Mind if I take a seat? Allison told me we were going to talk."

"Go for it." I said and he sat next to me, "Where's Allison?"

"She had to go home early." He said, "I'm sorry about the other day. I was way out of line. Sometimes I lose control,"

I looked over at the table where Stiles and Scott sit just as Stiles looked over, our eyes met for a moment and I looked back at Isaac.

"…I don't really know how to act around people sometimes."

"Yeah well attacking them doesn't normally come off well." I realized how bitter I sounded. "But its okay. Hopefully we can be friends now then?"

He smiled, "Yeah, I would like that."

"Good. Thanks for apologizing."

"Im sorry I didn't sooner. So what's going on with the big hickey on your neck?" he asked trying to change the subject. I realized we did have a lot in common. He was probably dreading this conversation as much as I had been. Talking to people is hard enough without having to talk to them about some serious issue.

"It happened this morning, I tried to cover it up, is it really that obvious?" I put my hand to the spot on my neck.

He laughed, "uhh, yeah. Here take this," he pulled the scarf off of his neck and handed it to me.

"No you don't have to-" I tried handing it back but he pushed it back into my hands.

"It's the least I can do. Besides that thing looks pretty bad."

I wrapped it around my neck and smiled, "Thanks."

The lunch bell rang and we both stood up, "So I was thinking, what are you doing after school? Since we skipped lunch we could go grab a slice or something?"

"I actually have something I need to do…"

He looked a little disappointed. I felt bad like maybe he was lonely.

"…Im going to the Nemeton again." I finished, deciding there was no hurt coming from me telling him. Obviously I had bested him once, I could do it again, I figured he would just say alright and leave it at that but he surprised me by asking:

"Mind if I tag along?"

"Sure, meet me out front at the end of the day."

He walked away and almost as soon as he left, Stiles was next to me walking me to my next class.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"Good. He apologized and asked if we could meet for pizza after school." Stiles raised his eyebrows.

"And what'd you say?"

"No because Im going to the Nemeton, he asked if he could come and I told him thatd be fine."

"Youre going to the Nemeton again? Havent you been there like everyday since you moved here."

I stopped walking to study his face, "Yeah so what?"

"Well, I mean, don't get wrapped up in it. Ive seen the Nemeton make people do some crazy stuff."

"Stiles. It's a tree, I don't see how it could make someone do anything." I thought of the scene the Nemeton had shown me, I thought of it feeling the girls pain.

"So youre just going with him then."

"I have a feeling this isn't about the Nemeton. Do you have a problem with me going somewhere with Isaac?"

"Not at all. Its not like you're my girlfriend. I understand."

I rolled my eyes. Boys are so fucking stupid.

"If you have a problem just say it. And no Im not your girlfriend so I don't know why your freaking out about me going somewhere with my friend."

"Ohhh You guys are friends now? And I don't have a problem eveythings cool."

"Im not playing this game with you Stiles. Youre welcome to join us, we are meeting out front after school." The bell rang signaling the end of lunch.

"No wouldn't want to intrude." He held his hands up and started walking away, then stopped and called over his shoulder, "Nice scarf by the way!" He was acting like an asshole and I wasn't going to dignify his stupidity with an answer or a reaction. I really liked him, but he didn't have to be a jealous dick about things. I gave him plenty of chances to say what was on his mind and if he was going to ignore it than that's on him. I still hoped to see him standing out front waiting for me when the last bell rang for the school day and I bounded out the front doors. It was just Isaac there.


	9. Chapter 9

"So why Beacon Hills if not for the Nemeton?" Isaac asked as we walked down the street towards the forest.

"My mom chose it. We lived in Vegas for a half a year before this, she said we were moving because it was too hot and there were too many people."

Isaac laughed, "That sounds like a lie if I ever heard one."

"Right. I used to try and call her out on it but then she just came up with more ridiculous lies and it would be a big mess so now I just go along with it. I'm not really the one to investigate other peoples business. What's the deal with your parents?"

"They're dead." he sounded emotionless.

"I'm so sorry." I said.

"I'm not. Anyways," he kicked a rock on the path in front of us, I noticed him lick his lips before he spoke, "what's up with you and Stiles?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, its...complicated." it really wasn't, I just didn't know how to explain the situation. I liked Stiles but we didn't know a lot about each other, it was hard to see if we were really compatible or just drawn together by attraction.

"Has he told you he's a virgin yet?" he asked as we passed through the treeline.

"Oh wow really?"

He smiled and nodded his head mischievously.

"...that explains a lot."

We passed the abandoned house on the way to the Nemeton. "That's the old Hale house, where they lived before it was burned to the ground, with most of them still inside."

We stopped in front for a moment as I imagined a whole family stuck inside there, how awful it must have been.

"Is that Derek's family...Hale?"

"That's right. Wolves, all of them. The person who did it was trying the end the Hale line for good. They missed three of them, Derek and his two sisters, and one of them ended up surviving the fire Derek's uncle Peter. I don't think you've met him yet, and believe me you don't want to. bad vibes" We kept walking, getting close to the clearing now. He was a lot easier to talk to than Stiles but more nerve racking, he was impulsive and didn't hold back but still mysterious in some way. We made eye contact for a moment before entering the clearing his eyes glowing yellow.

I walked to the Nemeton and thought about what Peter had told me, I needed to share something with the Nemeton, as it had done with me. I sat down and Isaac sat next to me. I felt the warmth and energy beneath me from the heart of the tree.

"What now?" Isaac asked looking around the clearing and pulling his brown leather jacket off and placing it in between us. I laid down on the base of the tree and closed my eyes.

"I'm going to try and talk to it. Give it a memory."

He laid down to, we weren't touching, the Nemeton was big enough that we could lay side by side with our feet over the edge.

"How?"

I inhaled exhaled deeply, "I'm not sure but I'm going to try."

I closed my eyes and imagined the last day I saw my dad. It was the clearest memory I had.

* * *

We were walking on the beach. I could feel the waves steady rising and falling on my bare feet as we strolled towards the sunset. My father was a tall hairy man. Always scruffy or beardy he had thick black hair and tan wind burnt skin, he was a deep sea fisherman, always smelled of salt and sand. He was barefoot too, his pants rolled up to below the knee, we looked at each other for a moment while we walked his blue eyes always seemed to seep into my soul. He was Irish, his accent was thick and I was always so jealous of it as a kid. "I will be back before you know it." he was saying.

"I know dad." and I hadn't doubted it, he smiled at me and the sides of his eyes crinkled, he grabbed my hand with his calloused ones.

"I'm starting middle school soon, Will you take me to my first day?" I asked, picking up a pretty shell on the beach and dropping his hand to investigate it further.

"No I don't think it will be that soon," I frowned and dropped the shell, it didn't seem so beautiful now.

He bent down and picked it up and dropped to one knee. "Come here Mae, put your ear to the shell," I took the shell from him and pressed it to my ear.

"I don't hear anything"

"Its the ocean Mae, With that shell you will hear it wherever you go, whether your right here on the sand, or a million miles away from a drop of water. This way whenever you miss me you can put your ear to the ocean and you will hear me."

"but you're not the ocean dad..." I thought this was stupid, but still clutched the shell, he pushed it up to my ear and covered his mouth so I couldn't see him shout, "I loooove you", I laughed and put the shell away from my ear then put it back again, as soon as it touched my ear he covered his mouth and shouted, "I love you!" I laughed some more and shouted into the shell, "I can't hear youuuu!" and he tackled me onto the sand in a fit of tickles and laughs.

* * *

I opened my eyes and sat up on the Nemeton, my eyes full of tears. But I had experienced that memory a thousand times before and I'm not sure if I have tears left for it.

"I don't know if it worked," I wondered out loud.

Isaac sat up next to me, "It worked. I saw it too, I could smell the sea, feel the wind through my hair..." he was staring at me with his glowing eyes, he looked amazed. "...it was a beautiful memory. What happened to him?" he finished.

"He never came back."

"I'm sorry." He said, placing his hand over mine and squeezing.

"I'm not."

We smiled at each other and I felt the Nemeton under me get sort of warmer, I placed one of my hands on it and drew energy, it was a rush like no other and I felt my heart pump with new power.

"I wanna try something." I got up and Isaac got up to. I built the pressure up in my chest and thought of the small dead clearing as full of grass and flowers, blue flowers, in different colors some dark and others light. I thought of the flowers showering down on us, growing up the trees, on the Nemeton, all over the bush where I had hidden twice before.

"Mae..." Isaac's voice was breathy and in awe.

I opened my eyes and there it was, the picture in my mind before me, even the flowers raining from overhead.

"...its beautiful." He finished looking at me with his yellow eyes, he stepped towards me and I grabbed his hands and spun him around fast, and then let go sending us both spining and laughing in the now flowered clearing.

I felt my foot catch on a tree root and I cascaded backwards towards the ground, only to be caught by Isaac just short of hitting. He smiled and lowered me to the ground then kissed me softly and deeply, flicking his tongue in and out of my mouth. I moved so I was on top of him, tossing his scarf I was wearing to the side and moving my hands down his sculpted body. He moved his hands on me and pulled my shirt over my head, breaking our kiss. I unbottoned my bra and felt him stiffin beneath me as his glowing eyes fell over my exposed chest. He put his hands on my breasts and groaned as I kissed his neck.

"I can't wait any longer. This has to happen." He said and moved me down onto the grownd so I was under him. He slid his hands up my skirt and nuzzled his head into the crook of my neck as he slid his fingers inside me. I moaned and he bit me softly at first and then harder. I put my hand through his golden brown curls and pulled gently. He pulled his fingers out and pulled his jeans and boxers off then thrusted into me.


	10. Chapter 10

We stayed there in the clearing until the moon was high above us, sending a pale white light shining onto Isaacs soft skin as we laid together on a bed of flowers.

"I could stay here with you forever. Forget about problems and whats real and whats fake, school, feelings, fights, people, and wolves. " he sounded genuine, I liked him for his sense of reality, things never stay simple for long.

A cloud slipped over the moon and the clearing got darker as he continued, the brightest thing being his yellow eyes on the sky "Its strange how something so far away, can change you so much." He turned to me now and put his head on his hand.

"You're beautiful." he said after studying me for a moment

I thought of Stiles, how he had said the same thing here not two days ago. How he would feel if he found out about Isaac and I. I felt a pang of guilt and regret, I had been lusty and strange since I arrived in Beacon Hills, I barely knew Isaac or Stiles, and yet here I was in a love triangle. I tried to hide what I felt on my face as I got up to pull my clothes on. What am I thinking? What has this town done to me? Who am I? Isaac got up and started to pull his pants on too. When we were both dressed I told him my mother would be worried about me and we began our walk out of the woods.

When we got onto the street I finally said, "So if its alright with you I think we should keep this all underwraps…" I tried to sound nonchalant about it but I knew I sounded like a bitch as soon as it came out.

"Well, I mean, I gotta tell Scott at least, he's my best friend and.." I cut him off.

"Especially NOT Scott." I realized I was sounding worse and worse.

"Fine." He said and picked up his pace.

"Isaac I just mean-"

"Maeby, I get it. Just, stop, while youre ahead."

We walked in silence until we got to my house. He walked me to my front gate and turned to leave, but I grabbed his jacket and pulled him to me. I kissed him shortly, running my hand again through his hair before pulling away and going inside.

The next morning there wasn't any school, so I didn't see Stiles in the morning. I thought of calling him but just felt guilty. I didn't know what got over me last night, I have never been the 'easy' girl, but it was so easy to let go of my restraint and just give in. And Isaac, there was something about him, some connection we shared that I haven't experienced with anyone before. I felt all turned around and full of emotion. I wish I could talk to someone, I needed a friend that wasn't a guy. But I knew Allison and Isaac had something going on and Lydia was her best friend.

I tried to push all these thoughts to the back of my mind as I went downstairs and made breakfast for myself, then went in the living room and ate.

I decided to go out and explore the town, maybe find somewhere to get coffee and get all this drama off my mind. It didn't take long to find a Starbucks and I sat down with my coffee to try and enjoy the day as best I could under the circumstances.

I opened a book and took a sip of my coffee before I was interrupted by a passerby.

"Maeby. Fancy seeing you here." It was the crow girl from the Nemeton, her voice was thick with an Irish accent, I thought of my father. She was still clad in black but her dress was shorter now, it had a younger sense to it, tight and lacey it hugged her curves romantically, she hopped over the railing to sit across from me.

"Um…I don't think we've met." I said wearily. Everyone seems to know me before I know them around here.

"Oh we have. But you wouldn't remember, you were such a little girl when I last saw you." She had her long black hair tied back with a dark red ribbon that matched the shade of her lips.

"You're the woman I saw at the Nemeton." I said after a moment.

She extended a pale hand with long black nails, "That's right. My name is Morrigan."

I

shook her hand and smiled sheepishly.

"I saw you last night at the Nemeton. Quite a bit of magic you did in the clearing."

She sounded unimpressed.

"The flowers? You saw that?"

She smiled mischievously, "Well, That too. And I see a lot of things dear, Ive been watching you and my dear sister for a whie now."

"Sister?" I felt out of the loop somehow.

She laughed, it sounded like a screech almost, a "caw caw caw" that made me instantly think of the crow I had seen her transform from.

"You're so innocent my little Maeby." She stood up, "come with me, we have some catching up to do." I stood up too and she looped her arm into mine and we began to walk together away from the coffee shop. "I never understood why anyone would live in California but not by the beach, what's the point?" she was looking around with a look of disgust on her face, "This town is boring and dreary. But of course you cant control when these opportunities come about. " I had no idea what she was talking about but I kept my mouth shut. "You know when your mother and I were… younger, we used to come to these places and spice things up a bit. Now, she would kill me if she knew I was here. Well, she would try. But you seem different Maeby, you remind me of myself. I think you and I should make things a bit more interesting,"

"Okay…"

She kept talking and I noticed we were in front of Derek's apartment, "Doesn't your friend live here?"

"Well, I don't know about friend but..."

"Lets see if he's home shall we? I love puppies, always so playful."

We went inside the building and took the elevator up to the floor I knew Derek was on and approached the familiar large steel door. I rang the doorbell and Derek appeared in the doorway not long after, shirtless and eyes glowing blue.

"Mae, I wasn't expecting company." His eyes fell onto Morrigan and back to me.

"Sorry Derek, I was just passing by and…"

Morrigan interrupted me, "She wanted to invite you to a party we're throwing tonight at her house."

"What?" I said quickly and she elbowed me in the ribs.

"What time?" he asked, not sounding too excited.

"About…7?"

"I think I could make it." He said after a moment.

"Alright cool! See you then." Morrigan quickly grabbed me before I could reject further and pulled me into the elevator.

"What was that about? I cant have a party! My mom will kill me!"

"Your mom wont know! You just get the people together and I will take care of the rest."

"I guess…" I needed to get my mind of things, and a party sounded fun, carefree.

"Good!" She kissed me swiftly on the cheek, "Now, meet me at your house at 6:30. Im so excited!" and she left in a flurry leaving me dumbfounded on the street in front of Derek's house.

I decided the best way to go about setting up who to invite was to go through Lydia Martin, whom I had only met briefly, so I needed someone who knew her on a more personal level. I was still feeling too guilty to talk to Stiles or Allison and decided against calling Isaac. So I decided to call the only other person's number I had.

"Hello?"

"Hey Scott, Its Mae."

"Oh, What's up?"

"Well, Im throwing this party tonight for my…cousin…and I was wondering if you could help me get some people together?"

"Yeah, totally. What time?"

"It starts at 7."

"See you then." He said and we hung up.

I lollygagged about the house until about 5 when I started getting ready. I was nervous about the party, and more nervous about Morrigan, she was edgy and she seemed like she wanted more than just a party, but I was happy at the aspect of finding out who she was and her connection to my family.

The first person came at 6, it was Lydia. She was wearing a cute fashionable cocktail dress and she had a cute built werewolf on her arm. A beta with blue eyes and blonde hair.

"Mae, Hi, you look wonderful! This is my date Aiden." I shook his hand and invited them in.

"Youre early." I said when we got in the foyer.

"Well I wanted to make sure you had everything you needed and give you some help."

"I think Im set, Im waiting for my cousin Mor-" and she strolled in the open door with three large bags. She was wearing a tight black miniskirt and a lowcut black top. Her black hair was curled and fell loose around her shoulders.

"Wow you look amazing." I said as I helped her bring the bags into the Kiitchen.

She lowered her voice a bit and said, "I stopped by the Nemeton before I came. " then winked after, as if I knew what she meant.

Lydia and Aiden followed us in and we unloaded the bags, which were full of alcohol.

"Hi, Im Morrigan." She shook Lydia and Aiden's hand then we all went into the living room.

"So what's up with you and Stiles?" Lydia asked once we had all taken a seat with our drinks.

"Ohhh Is that the name of that curly haired greek god I saw you with yesterday?" Morrigan asked. I silently cursed her and darted her a look that said,'shut up shut up shut up' but she ignored it.

Lydia's eyes lit up for a second, always ready for a new tidbit of gossip, but she didn't comment.

"Now that is one dog I would put on a leash." Morrigan tossed her drink back then stood up and went to the kitchen. I could already tell this party was a bad idea.

People started trickling in slowly after 7 and by 9 my house was packed with people. I tried to stay out of the thick of things and stayed in the backyard knocking off drinks until I was sufficiently tipsy.

I was working on getting a little more than tipsy before Derek appeared.

"You should slow down a bit." He said smiling a little.

"I think I'm okay." I said.

"I just watched you pour three drinks in the last 20 minutes Mae. Youre not exactly a big girl."

"Im a little tense." I admitted.

"Well take a breather. Relax. Not everything has to be so serious."

I smiled, "Thanks Derek, want to take a shot with me?"

He shook his head, "No I shouldn't."

"C'mon, don't be so serious." I winked and poured us both a shot. We took it back and I poured us another.

"How long have you lived in Beacon Hills?"

"Since I was born, I left for a while after…" he trailed off, "But ive been back for a few years now." We took the shot and I poured another, now starting to feel the drunk creep in the back of my head.

"So whats up with you and Stiles?"

"Oh don't ask me that, everyones asking that."

"Sorry, You not that into him? I can see why."

"No its not that. Its just, well I mean, Im gunna tell you something but you cant tell anyone." He nodded and we took another shot before I started talking.

"I like Stiles but I also like Isaac, and I don't know, I might have slept with Isaac last night."

Derek poured himself another shot, took it, then poured us both one.

"Rough. Well, my advice, choose one. Quick." I nodded, it wasn't the best advice, but it was the right advice.

Derek and I took the last shots and he left me to be drunk in the backyard.

I should've never had this party. I don't like social events, what was I thinking?


	11. Chapter 11

I was pretty trashed by the time I was approached again, this time by Stiles, whom I had been dreading talking to all night.

"Mae," he said from behind me, and I turned around fast enough that I swiveled on my feet and almost fell over. He caught me and I leaned against the railing for balance.

"Stiles." I said after gathering myself.

"You're drunk."

"Only a little bit."

"I wanted to apologise about yesterday, I had no right to act like that."

I couldn't look him in the eyes as he said it, it made me feel horrible.

"shhh Stiles, Its okay." I was slurring a bit and swaying on my feet. He smiled at me cutely and I put my hand on his cheek.

"You look great tonight by the way."

"Thank you."

"So why are you all by yourself at your own party?"

"Im drunk and Not in the mood for people." I said taking another swig from my bottle, I missed my mouth and hit the bottle against the railing, with a loud CLACK the glass broke, leaving a big cut down the center of my hand.

"Shit." I said stumbling to pick up a big piece of glass and cutting another finger, "Double shit."

"C'mon," Stiles said, "Lets go clean up that cut."

"No I think I'll be okay I just need another drink."

"I think youre done for the night." He led me through the house, which was considerably less packed now, and into the kitchen, where he ran some water on my hand.

"Ow!" I snatched my hand back and he apologized, Then wrapped it in a cloth on the counter. "Thanks." I said and felt my head spin. "Im so…drunk." I sunk to the floor of the kitchen and shut my eyes to stop the spinning.

"Lets get you to bed." Stiles said, lifting me up and carrying me up the stairs and into my room. He put me on the bed and turned to leave with a soft "goodnight."

"Wait. Stay." I held my arms out to him and he sat down on the bed laid down next to me, folding his arms behind his head.

I scooted next to him and nuzzled my head onto one of his arms, he pulled me close and kissed me on the forehead, and we slept.

I woke up the next morning with a huge headache. Stiles was still sleeping, I slipped out from under him and walked out of my room to inspect the damage on the house. It was messy, but no broken things or bad spills so it was overall alright. I peeked in my Moms room and spotted a half naked Derek sleeping on her bed then kept moving downstairs. Lydia and Aiden were sleeping on the couch and someone I had never met was on the floor under the coffee table. I heard talking from the kitchen and came in to see Scott and Morrigan laughing over a pot of coffee.

"Good Morning Drunkie." Morrigan said in her sensual irish accent.

"Top of the mornin to ya." I said mimicking her cheery demeanor. She frowned.

"You would think with all that Irish blood you would be less of a lightweight but theres an exception to every rule I guess." She said pouring me a cup and pushing it over to me. I sat down next to Scott and let my head hit the table.

"My brain is going to explode." Was all I said before taking a sip.

"Scott, why don't you wake up everyone and see what they want for breakfast." Morrigan said and Scott left us to the kitchen alone.

Morrigan touched my arm softly and I felt a familiar pressure in my chest, My headache disappeared and I felt considerably more awake.

"I went to the Nemeton this morning, before anyone woke up, I figured you might need a little pick me up for the day." I thanked her and wondered how she could carry the magic within her for so long, but refrained from asking. I would find out soon enough.

After breakfast everyone headed home except Scott. Stiles said he would call me later. I sat on the porch with him while Stiles spun off in the Jeep, when everyone was finally gone Scott turned to me.

"I know what happened between you and Isaac." He said finally.

"Im not sure what your talking about Scott." I lied.

"Your heartbeat tells a different story, I didn't say anything to Stiles. And Im not going to, but I cant let you tear this pack apart."

"I know." I said, it was undeniably true.

"You have a week. I don't care if you blow one of them off or both of them, but you cant have both. I cant have my two best friends at eachothers necks."

"That's fair." I said and he nodded. Despite what I had said about his leadership skills in the passed, he never failed to surprise me. He left after that and I went back inside to pick up the house.

A couple hours later Isaac knocked on the door and I instantly regretted answering it.  
"Can we talk?" he asked.

"Yes. Me first. Why did you say something to Scott? I thought we were going to keep this underwraps."

"I was going to ask you the same thing." He said quickly, "I didn't say anything to Scott. I didn't say anything to anyone."

I was about to say the same thing when I remembered hazily in drunken moment mentioning something to Derek outside. Shit.

"I didn't either." I lied, trying to pace my heart so it didn't give me away. He lowered his eyes and I had a feeling he knew but he didn't say anything,

"Why didn't you come last night?" I asked quickly trying to change the subject.

"I didn't know if you would want me here. You seemed shooken up when we left the Nemeton the other night. Maybe what we did was a mistake…"

I shook my head, "No Isaac, Im just a little confused is all. I like you, and I like Stiles too. Its not fair of me to be leading both of you on like this. I just need to think and-"

He kissed me hard and we backed up off of the front porch and into the house.

"Isaac –" I said breathily between kisses. But he didn't stop or pull away.

"Isaac, Stop." But I could feel myself give in as he lifited me onto the arm of the couch and slid his hand between my legs.

This time I pulled down his pants and he thrust into me quick and hard, all sensuality out the window. I couldn't resist him and this is how we were when my Mom finally walked through the front door and dropped the groceries she was carrying in shock. "Shit FUCK." I said pulling my skirt back down and scooting out from under Isaac.

Isaac pulled his pants up and we both sat there blushing and mumbling sorry's as she stood with her mouth wide open.

"Sit down. Both of you and not another word." She looked mad. Angrier than I had ever seen her. She went straight into the kitchen and put the groceries on the counter then came back holding the house phone.

" ." she said after a moment into the receiver, and Isaac put his head into his hands.

"Funny story…I just walked into my living room and saw Isaac on the couch with my daughter bumping uglies." I winced at those last words and she continued a short conversation with Scott's mom before they agreed to have an 'intervention' for us tomarrow. This is going to be fun.


	12. Chapter 12

When Isaac went home I was left in the living room with my mom looking disappointed.

"Maeby I don't know what to say to you. I cant believe you would do this, your always such a good girl. I am appalled…Youre grounded for-"

"Mom, you cant be serious right now."

"Mae, I am serious. Dead serious. Ever since we came here you've been acting out, it must be these boys or-"

"No. Im not going to listen to this. This is bullshit. You cant be a parent all of a sudden. Look, I have a lot of respect for you, but its not like you've mothered me at all for the passed 5 years. I mean, we've been in Beacon Hills for like a week or two and Ive seen you like three times? Ive spoken to you like twice. Cmon, youre more like a sister than a Mom. So don't turn around and act like youre appalled or like your going to ground me because its not going to happen. " I went upstairs and grabbed some clothes and my purse.

My mom yelled at me from downstairs, hysterical, "MAEBY, if you don't get down here RIGHT NOW…" I stuffed my clothes and toothbrush into a bad and headed downstairs, arms full.

"What Mom, What?!"

"You leave this house and you can NEVER…" I stormed out of the house before she could finish, my eyes full of tears.

I walked aimlessly for a long time, not paying attention to where I was going, I let my feet carry me and looked ahead without seeing. My mother and I had always been cordial but never close, but we had never fought like this.

When I finally snapped out of it I was in the woods, I went to the Nemeton, half hoping to see Morrigan there, but she wasn't, it was empty and I was cold. I went touched the Nemeton and tried to gather some energy or warmth but my head was all over the place and I couldn't focus enough to make it work. I was getting more and more frustrated by the moment. And the worst part was, I knew it was all my fault. I had gotten myself into a mess, now I would have to live in it. I decided the warmest place to go would be the old Hale house, so I stayed the night there and covered myself in the pile of clothes for warmth.

The next morning I didn't go to school because I figured there was no point. I hated Beacon Hills. Nothing but trouble had come from here. It was time to leave. I gathered three changes of clothes and left the rest in a corner of the house before I went to the Nemeton one last time before I left. This time when I touched the tree I begged it for energy. But there was still no response. I couldn't even feel the steady beat of warmth as I usually could. Maybe I lost whatever special powers I once had. It didn't matter now though. I ignored the sound of my grumbling stomach as I left the clearing and walked deeper into the woods and away from Beacon Hills. I walked for a few hours before I got too tired and too hungry to walk on, so I sat at the foot of a tree and closed my eyes.

When I opened them again it was nighttime and I was no longer alone, I couldn't see them as much as sense them near me. I could hear a twig snap and leaves rustle. I didn't move and tried to shallow my breathing so that they couldn't hear it. It was too late though and I knew it. I pair of glowing red eyes in the distance appeared and I knew my only chance was to run, fast, as fast as I could. So I left the few things I had brought and ran, jumping over rocks and ducking under trees as I ran. I tried zigging and zagging through the woods as I had heard somewhere could throw off a rabid dog, when I looked behind me, the eyes continued to bound closer and closer, faster than I ever could run. I tripped on a root as I was looking back and fell crashing to the ground, as soon as I hit it was all over. I felt the Alpha come to me and take a huge bite out of my stomach. I thought he would eat me alive. I felt organs rupture inside me, my clothes became warm and sticky with blood, and the eyes looked into mine for the longest moment of my life, before blinking once and disappearing from whence it came.

I looked down at my stomach and saw the red circle grow bigger with each beat of my heart, I was losing blood and who knows what other vital fluids. My ribs were certainly cracked or broken and it was getting harder to breath every second. I took my eyes off my body and into the sky, just as a cloud fell over the moon, and my eyes closed.


	13. Chapter 13

When I came to it was morning, and I was hungry, so so hungry. I woke up with my clothes sticky with dried blood and torn all about my stomache. The bite from last night was gone. I didn't want to think about what that meant, I had to focus on substinence, I was thirsty and hungry and tired. I looked around me for a game trail I could follow, If I was a wolf now, I couldn't smell or see any better, maybe from the exhaustion, I wasn't worried about it just yet. I found a small trail and followed it to a small freshwater stream. I was lucky as California is a desert full of coniferous trees that don't hold much water, it should've been harder to find. But I drank deeply beginning to use the water to wash the blood off of me.

"Mae." I spun around and saw Scott standing behind me in the woods.

"Scott." I addressed him wearily.

"What happened?" he said, I realized I probably looked like a trainwreck, covered in blood and in ripped clothes. He walked over and bent down to help me wash off the sticky dry mess. I washed my stomach as he washed my arm.

"I left Beacon Hills and stayed the night at the Hale house, then walked until I got tired and went to sleep, when I woke up I was attacked."

We finished scrubbing and sat by the bubbling stream for a moment before he said what was on my mind.

"You were attacked by an Alpha." It was not a question.

I nodded, "How did you know?"

"I could smell it on you. I caught your scent at the Hale house on a pile of clothes left in a corner. When I came to the spot where you had fallen asleep I caught the other Alphas scent, and also the scent of blood, there was a lot. I thought I would find you dead. Also, when I saw you now, your scent had changed."

I was dreading this, "Ch-changed how?"

He looked away from me now, "Youre a wolf now Mae."

When we came out of the woods to the edge of Beacon Hills, Scott walked me home, trying to explain various aspects of being a wolf that weren't that bad, but all I could think about was how utterly inhuman I am. I didn't want to be a wolf. I don't see whats so great about not being in control of your own life. Listening to someone tell you what to do and having a 'family' or 'pack or whatever, it just isn't my thing. I don't want to go berserk at the sight of a full moon. It wasn't what I wanted, but I didn't have a choice. He led me to my door and my mom took me inside with tears and apologies but I didn't listen or care. It was all pointless to me now. I went into my room and crawled in bed.

The next day I didn't wake up until after school had started so I didn't go. Instead I stayed in bed. I didn't want to deal with anyone or learn about being a wolf or even be alive. So instead I slept or tried to sleep. My dreams were haunted with red eyes and flashes of my attack or even me attacking other people. Around the time school got out I heard someone knock on the front door downstairs but I didn't move. I just laid there and kept my breathing low incase it was one of the wolves and they could hear me. Slowly after tossing and turning I fell asleep only to be awoken by the sound of someone crawling in through my mothers window. I didn't check to see who it was but instead waited until they came into my room and flicked the lightswitch on.

"Leave me alone." I said, unmoving.

"Mae, please, stop this. Talk to someone. Talk to me." It was Isaac. I suddenly realized I had known it was him the moment he walked into my house. I could smell him, he smelt of sweat and wolf and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on. He moved to my bed and sat down on the edge, I turned so my back was to him.

"Just please, leave me alone." I was crying now, thinking of all the things in my life that had gone so wrong. He laid down next to me on the bed and I felt his hand stroke my hair and his breath on my cheek as he whispered to me.

"Its gunna be alright Maeby. Its not that bad, its actually fun being a wolf." I didn't reply and he pulled me over so I was flat on the bed and he could see my face wet with tears.

" You can see better at night, " he touched my eyes lightly, "and you can smell better, which sometimes isn't as great as it sounds." He pinched my nose as he said it and I smiled a bit, "and youre stronger now. You can run faster, and jump higher, and fuck better," at the last thing he said he gave me a kiss on the mouth, I kissed back and he smiled when we broke apart.

"You smell different now." He said.

We laid together for a while, I finally gave into sleep again, and when I woke up the next day, he was still next to me. My mom was actually the one to wake us, insisting we go to school to my dismay.

"Im going to ignore the fact that Isaac stayed the night. But only because he's so cute." She said and he blushed making me elbow him sharply.

I got ready for school and Isaac headed home to get ready too. I got to school 5 minutes late despite the fact that I had ran most of the way there. When I got there, Morrigan was waiting for me by the doorway enterence examining her long black nails.

"Hello Darling, been having some issues lately?" she asked when I tried to pass by her without being noticed.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said trying to push passed her.

"Why? I would've figured you wanted this, didn't you always want a real family?" she sounded like she was mocking me.

"What are you saying?" I asked.

"Well, I thought I could give you a little push in the right direction…"

"A push? A push? WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?" I was getting angry now, angrier than I had ever been. I felt my teeth grow longer in my mouth and my nails sharper.

"I didn't DO anything. I merely put the idea in someone's head. The ALPHA is the one who did it. Silly girl only an Alpha can turn you into a wolf."

I spit in her face and couldn't control myself as I transformed from human into something else. And she transformed too, her eyes went from dark brown to black, all black, no whites no pupil, just darkness. And her nails grew longer until they were talons long and dark and menacing, and her skin went from pale white to corpse gray, with tiny black spines or feathers protruding from random oriphices. And she laughed her caw caw caw laugh as I swung at her with my claws. She swung back ripping a deep scratch horizontally on my cheek.

Scott bounded out the building, his eyes growing red, and he howled loud looking right at me. I felt my body go back to normal, my face bleeding heavily, I wiped it and spat at her again, mad that Scott had interrupted me. She disappeared in a flur of dark feathers. Isaac came running out behind Scott and rushed to me.

"What happened?" Scott asked looking from me to the pile of feathers on the floor.

"She did it. She somehow influenced someone to bite me." I was fuming.

"Calm down." Isaac said.

"No. I'm going to find her, and rip her apart." I said

"Mae, you don't know what your getting into, what if your not powerful enough, we don't even know what she is…" Scott was trying to talk sence into me but it wasn't enough.

"I know where shes going, and that's enough. And I think I know someone who can help." I turned and left them there.

A few minutes later, they came up behind me, Isaac putting his arm around my shoulders and Scott walking on the other side.

"You didn't think we were going to let you go by yourself?" Isaac said quickly.

"A wolf is only as good as his pack." Scott interjected.

"Who said that?" I asked after a second

"Me." Scott said and we headed for the Nemeton.


	14. Chapter 14

We passed the Hale house and approached the clearing to the Nemeton slowly, trying not to alert anyone who might be there. We went around and crouched low into the bush where I had hid the couple times before. Morrigan was at the Nemeton, drawing power, when someone else came in the clearing, a woman with a gray cloak over her, the woman I had seen sing the song from my dreams. Morrigan smiled and turned around.

"Sister."

The woman in the cloak nodded and pulled her hood back. It was my mother.

"I wouldn't exactly call us that Morrigan. I haven't seen you in fifty years."

"Blood ties never lie love. Where is your husband ? I haven't seen him since I came to Beacon Hills. I always loved sailors, they taste salty." She licked her finger after the last sentence, smiling at my mother cheekily.

"Why did you come here?" my mother asked, ignoring Morrigan's question.

"To meet my niece of course. You didn't think you could hide her forever did you?" she laughed her crows laugh.

"She is of no concern to you. Leave this town." My mother said angrily.

Morrigan continued to laugh, "Oh my sweet sister, Youre of no threat to me, what did they used to call you in our time?" She began to pace as she spoke, circling my mother in the process. "Ahh, I remember now 'Gentle Annie', 'Ana Mother of Mercy', or my personal favorite, 'Anann Goddess of Cattle." She leaned in close so she was face to face with my mother and said, "Im shaking in my boots."

Ana? What was she talking about? That's not my mothers name.

"I have just as much power as you." My mother replied. Spitting at Morrigans feet.

"Correction Annie, USED to have just as much power as me." Morrigan said, transforming before our eyes into the bird-human creature she had at school. Fire erupted from her hands and she rose from the ground on a pair of terrible black wings. My mother stood her ground, but Morrigan was too quick and she threw fire from all directions. My mother ducked and weaved and shot back her own magic but she was wear compared to Morrigan. And Morrigan pinned her against the Nemeton and spat in her face this time.

"I have grown since we last met, and your power has been dwindling. Do not mock me with empty threats ever again. It is time you returned from wence you came." And she clawed my mother straight across her neck. My mother disappeared in thin air.

I shot to my feet and tried to run to the Nemeton but Isaac held me back, putting his hand across my face as I struggled, tears running down my face. I let my teeth grow sharp in my mouth and bit down hard on his hand but he didn't release. Morrigan turned back into a crow and flew off.

Isaac let me free and I bounded into the clearing.

"MOM!" I yelled looking around. I hopped onto the Nemeton and made circles so I could see the whole clearing. "MOTHER! MOM! MOMMY!" I yelled and yelled and cried until my voice was harsh and my tears wouldn't come. Then I sat in silence.

"We will find her Mae." Scott said coming behind me and resting a hand on my shoulder.

"I am going to find her, and I am going to kill Morrigan." I said, slowly pushing both my palms to the Nemeton and closing my eyes. I thought of pulling energy from the Nemeton and felt it come up into me. I pulled more than I ever had before, this time I would need it for a long time. When I pulled away I was dizzy with power. I felt like a cup that's too full, that I would tip over at any moment and everything would pour out. I was fuming, angry, angrier than I had ever been. This woman was ruining my life.

I turned to Isaac and Scott and said carefully, "You don't have to come with me for this. I can do it on my own."

Isaac grabbed my face and kissed me passionately, "Im not letting you go alone." I nodded and Scott said, "Im going to try and get more help."


	15. Chapter 15

"Where do we start?" Isaac asked, thinking the same thing I was.

"I don't know." I replied. We were walking in the woods, away from the Nemeton. Scott had left after exclaiming he was going to get help, whatever that means. And I felt dead inside. I thought that after I had been turned into a werewolf I didn't know who I was. Now I was in a full blown identity crisis. Who am I? What am I? Who was my mother?

"So where are we going?"

"I don't know."

Why had she kept all this from me? Why did she go to the Nemeton? Why had Morrigan called her Ann?

"So, are you just playing it by ear or…?"

"Isaac, I don't know what Im doing. I don't know what TO DO. Im overwhelmed. Im lost. I don't know who I am or what I am…"

He moved in front of me and put his hands in my own, "Just calm down we can-"

I ripped my hands out of his, "Please, Im not in the mood to do this, just give me a little space." I kept walking, this time he didn't follow. Im glad he got the message. Ive been focusing on the wrong things, the wrong problems. I shouldn't have gotten involved with anyone.

I walked home and wasn't surprised to find Scott and Stiles on my porch. I ignored them as I walked into my house, but they followed me in anyways. Stiles had a bundle of papers with him.

"I think Ive got some idea of whats been going on here," they followed me to the kitchen where Stiles slammed his stack onto the dining table and shuffled them around as he spoke, "remember when I was talking about the Morrigan before with you guys and Allison and stuff? Well, theres more to that, see a lot of these gods and goddesses in Celtic paganism mythology were a lot like the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology in the sense that they represented certain things-"

Scott interjected, "Like when you said the Morrigan was the goddess of terror and war and stuff."

"Right, exactly, so heres how Greek and Celtic mythology are different: A lot of Celtic gods were depicted in three's and called different names, representing separate aspects of one god."

"What do you mean? Now Im confused."

He pulled out a paper from the stack and pointed to it, reading as he spoke, "The Morrigan is the goddess of battle, terror, strife, sovereignty, and mercy. She is often depicted as a trio of goddesses, all sisters, Badb, Macha and Anand. Badb always being depicted as a crow and known for causing fear and confusion, Anand known best for her mercy and mostly depicted as a cow or otter, and Macha depicted as a horse and known for her love of monarchs and powerful people."

"Youre telling me my mom is an ancient cow goddess?"

"It shouldn't be that hard to believe, I mean Scott is a 17 year old werewolf who singlehandedly killed an evil demon then became an Alpha without killing another Alpha not to mention he saved this guy from becoming a shape shifting snake slave forever bound to an evil hunter who was intent on killing all were-"

"I think she got the idea Stiles." Scott interrupted, looking over the papers on the table then saying, "So what does all this make Mae?"

"I don't know. But I do know we can use some of this new information to our advantage. What did you say she said before Mae's mom disappeared?"

"Its time for you to go back from wence you came" I repeated the words, wincing as I said them. "I don't think she meant Vegas."

"No, No I don't think so either." He trailed off into thought and we all began searching through the research for some clue as to where my mother had gone.

I woke up the next morning slouched over in my chair with my face stuck to three papers on the table. With a yawn and a stretch I made coffee and sat back down, rereading the same paper I had read twice before.

I felt on edge today, differently than I did yesterday. I felt stronger, and my body still practically vibrated with energy from the Nemeton last night.

"Theres nothing here." I said disappointedly shaking a sleeping Stiles awake. "We'll never find her."

"Don't say that," he said rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Maybe we should try and find Morrigan first."

I hopped up, "yeah, I bet I can find her."

"She smells like bird shit." Scott had woken up, and was now pouring himself coffee too.

"But first things first…" Stiles stood up and met Scotts eyes, "It's a full moon tonight."

"Even better right?" I asked looking at Scott, who raised his eyebrows and sat down.

"I don't know if tonights the best night to try and do this. The full moon is dangerous for new wolves, until you can fully control your transformation-" I cut him off.

"But aren't werewolves supposed to be more powerful during the full moon?" I was getting excited now, I knew Morrigan was powerful, Goddess powerful, which I think qualifies as a lot more than a werewolf, but whatever blood ran through her veins also ran through mine, only I WAS a werewolf , so I could use the Nemeton's power combined with the power from the full moon to take her down.

"Yes, more powerful but also more dangerous. You could hurt yourself, or someone else or even be stuck in the body of a wolf and lose your identity. No, its too risky. You need to spend your first full moon under close supervision."

I smiled, my heart was racing. I could get my mom back after all.

"Well duh you'll be there when I rip out every feather one by one."

"No Mae, you need to be contained- chains, room you cant get out of- the works." Stiles said almost forcefully.

"I wont do it." I replied immediately. "I wont even consider it. I'm going to find my mother, and Im going to use the full moon tonight to do it."

"Please listen to me. We've been through this before. Scott tried to kill me because of the full moon. You wont be yourself. You wont even know who your mother is." Stiles was pleading now.

"Scott, be honest with me." I went up to him and sat across from him so he looked me straight in the eyes. "If you saw your mom disappear what would you do? Chain yourself to a wall, or fight on your strongest day of the month?"

Scott looked at me for a while. Staring deep into my eyes, he finally nodded, "Where could we find Morrigan?"

Stiles moved over to where we were sitting, "No, no, no, cmon you cant actually think this is a good idea." He laughed a bit.

"Why not? Shes right Stiles, we may not get another chance to beat her. Besides I saw Deucalion make people turn using just his voice. I bet I could turn her back if anything goes wrong."

"We're gunna need help." I said.

"I think I know exactly who to call." Scott said, pulling out his phone and dialing Allisons number.


End file.
